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The price of justice?

In addition to any financial penalty and order to pay prosecution costs, from 13 April 2015 Criminal Courts will be imposing a Criminal Courts Charge if you are found guilty of an offence committed on or after that date. You may also receive a Criminal Courts Charge for an unsuccessful appeal or for certain post convictions hearings. This will apply in a full range of cases. With the change to the maximum fines in the Magistrates Court, and increase in financial penalties that can be awarded for regulatory breaches brought by the health and safety executive and environment agency for instance, this is a further change that will inevitably impact on individuals and businesses who regrettably find themselves before the Courts.

The charge is a fixed amount. The table below provides the amount that will be payable and in what circumstances.

You should note that if after two years of making the charge you have made best efforts to keep up with the payment terms or any other financial impositions in the Criminal Courts Charge and you have not been convicted of any other criminal offence during that period you may in certain circumstances apply to the Magistrates Court for consideration to write off the Criminal Courts Charge.